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1981 in film
__TOC__ Events *January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it. *November 29 - Off Santa Catalina Island, 43-year old actress Natalie Wood drowns during a boating accident. *Kathleen Turner makes her acting debut. * Tom Cruise makes his acting debut. *June 12 - Raiders of the Lost Ark is released. It set a major standard for many action-adventure films to date. Top grossing films (U.S.) source: http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1981&p=.htm Awards Academy Awards: :Best Picture: Chariots of Fire - Enigma, The Ladd Company/Warner Bros. :Best Director: Warren Beatty - Reds :Best Actor: Henry Fonda - On Golden Pond :Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn - On Golden Pond :Best Supporting Actor: John Gielgud - Arthur :Best Supporting Actress: Maureen Stapleton - Reds :Best Foreign Language Film: Mephisto, directed by Istvan Szabo, Hungary Golden Globe Awards: :Drama: :Best Picture: On Golden Pond :Best Actor: Henry Fonda - On Golden Pond :Best Actress: Meryl Streep - The French Lieutenant's Woman :Musical or comedy: :Best Picture: Arthur :Best Actor: Dudley Moore - Arthur :Best Actress: Bernadette Peters - Pennies from Heaven :Other :Best Director: Warren Beatty - Reds :Best Foreign Film: Chariots of Fire, United Kingdom Golden Raspberry Awards: :Worst Picture: Mommie Dearest :Worst Director: Michael Cimino - Heaven's Gate :Worst Actor: Klinton Spilsbury - The Legend of the Lone Ranger :Worst Actress: Bo Derek - Tarzan, the Ape Man; Faye Dunaway - Mommie Dearest :Worst Supporting Actor: Steve Forrest - Mommie Dearest :Worst Supporting Actress: Diana Scarwid - Mommie Dearest Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival): :Man of Iron (Człowiek z żelaza), directed by Andrzej Wajda, Poland Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival): :Marianne and Juliane (Die Bleierne Zeit), directed by Margarethe von Trotta, W. Germany Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival): :Faster, Faster (Deprisa, deprisa / Vivre vite), directed by Carlos Saura, Spain / France Films released in 1981 *''Absence of Malice, directed by Sydney Pollack, starring Paul Newman, Sally Field and Melinda Dillon *All Night Long, starring Barbra Streisand and Gene Hackman *American Pop'' *''An American Werewolf in London, directed by John Landis, starring David Naughton, Griffin Dunne and Jenny Agutter *Amy'' *''Arthur, starring Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli and John Gielgud *Berlin Tunnel 21, starring Richard Thomas and Horst Buchholz *Blow Out, directed by Brian De Palma, starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen and John Lithgow *''The Boat Is Full'' *''Body Heat'' *''Bustin' Loose'' *''The Cannonball Run'' *''Clash of the Titans, starring Harry Hamlin, Laurence Olivier and Maggie Smith *Condorman'' *''Come on, Granpa's!'' *''Chariots of Fire, directed by Hugh Hudson, starring Ben Cross *Das Boot'' (1982 US release) *''Dead & Buried'' *''Deadly Blessing'' starring Sharon Stone *''Deprisa, Deprisa, Golden Bear winner *The Devil and Max Devlin'' *''Dragonslayer'' *''Endless Love, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Brooke Shields *Escape from New York, starring Kurt Russell *Excalibur'' *''The Evil Dead'' *''Eyewitness'' *''The Fan'' *''For Your Eyes Only'' *''Fort Apache the Bronx'' *''The Four Seasons, starring Alan Alda and Carol Burnett *The Fox and the Hound'' *''The French Lieutenant's Woman, starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons *Friday the 13th Part 2'' *''Full Moon High'' *''The Funhouse'' *''Gallipoli, directed by Peter Weir, starring Mel Gibson *Gangster Wars'' *''Gas'' *''The German Sisters, Golden Lion winner *The Great Muppet Caper'' *''Halloween II, starring Jamie Lee Curtis *The Hand, starring Michael Caine, directed by Oliver Stone *Happy Birthday to Me'' *''Hardly Working, starring Jerry Lewis *Heavy Metal'' *''History of the World: Part I'' *''The Howling, directed by Joe Dante, starring Dee Wallace Stone *Inseminoid'' *''The Killing of Angel Street'' *''The Land of Hunger'' *''The Last Chase'' *''The Legend of the Lone Ranger'' *''Lola, a German film *Looker'' *''Mad Max 2'' , starring Mel Gibson *''Man of Iron, Palme d'Or winner *Mephisto'' *''Modern Romance'' *''Mommie Dearest, starring Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid and Steve Forrest *My Bloody Valentine'' *''My Dinner with Andre'' *''Neighbors'' *''Nice Dreams'' *''Night Crossing'' *''Nighthawks'' *''Nobody's Perfekt'' *''Omen III: The Final Conflict, starring Sam Neill, Rossano Brazzi *On Golden Pond, starring Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and Jane Fonda *Only When I Laugh, starring Marsha Mason, Kristy McNichol, James Coco and Joan Hackett *Outland'' *'' Pacific Banana *''Pennies From Heaven, starring Steve Martin, based on the 1978 BBC Television serial by Dennis Potter. *Pixote'' *''Prince of the City, directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Treat Williams *The Private Eyes'' *''Quest for Fire'' also called La Guerre du feu *''Raggedy Man'' *''Ragtime, directed by Milos Forman, starring James Cagney, Howard E. Rollins, Jr. and Elizabeth McGovern *Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Harrison Ford and Karen Allen *Reds, starring Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson and Maureen Stapleton *Rich And Famous'' *''Roadgames *''Saturday the 14th'' *''Scanners'' *''Sogni d'oro'' *''Southern Comfort'' *''Strange Behavior'' *''Stripes, starring Bill Murray *Suddenly at Midnight'' *''Superman II'' *''Sweet & Sour Cops *''The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie'' *''The Tale of Today, Tomorrow, and the Day After'' *''Taps'' starring George C. Scott and Timothy Hutton *''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' *''Taxi zum Klo'' *''They All Laughed'' *''They Don't Wear Black Tie'' *''Thief'' *''This is Elvis'' *''Time Bandits'' *''True Confessions'' *''Utilities, directed by Harvey Hart, starring Robert Hays, Brooke Adams and John Marley *Will'' *''Wolfen, starring Albert Finney, Diane Venora and Gregory Hines *Women We Salute You!'' *''Zoot Suit'', starring Edward James Olmos Wide-release movies January-March April-June July-September October-December Births *January 28 – Elijah Wood, actor *April 19 - Hayden Christensen, actor *April 19 - Catalina Sandino Moreno, actress *April 28 - Jessica Alba, actress *June 9 - Natalie Portman (Natalie Hershlag), actress *July 24 - Summer Glau, actress *September 12 - Jennifer Hudson, singer and actress *December 2 - Britney Spears, singer and actress Deaths *January 1 - Beulah Bondi, actress *January 10 - Richard Boone, actor *January 16 - Bernard Lee, actor *February 1 - Wanda Hendrix, actress *July 27 - William Wyler, director *August 1 - Paddy Chayefsky, screenwriter *August 4 - Melvyn Douglas, actor *August 18 - Anita Loos, writer *September 27 - Robert Montgomery, actor *October 24 - Edith Head, costume designer *November 12 - William Holden, actor *November 27 - Lotte Lenya, actress *November 29 - Natalie Wood, actress *December 28 - Allan Dwan, pioneer film director Film debuts *Tom Cruise Category:Years in film Category:1981 in film